What Does God’s Sovereignty Mean? Study of Esther

In this study we’ll be referring to God’s sovereignty multiple times and meditating on the implications this has in our life.

So before continuing fully into the study of the book of Esther, we want to pause for a moment and establish the foundations of what it means and what we’re referring to when we speak of God’s sovereignty.

This lesson could become a study in itself, so as we advance, I’ll share other resources you can read to deepen your understanding of the topic.

On this occasion we only intend to establish a foundation that helps us understand what we mentioned in the book’s introduction.

The fact that we don’t need to hear or read God’s name in the story narrated in the book of Esther, and even in our lives, to know that God is in control of it.

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God’s Omnipotence

This attribute of God refers to God being all-powerful. This is one of the first characteristics or descriptions we learn about God.

We could concisely say that God has the power to do everything. However, the Bible tells us there are certain things God cannot do, for example:

• It’s impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18, Titus 1:2)
• God cannot deny Himself (2 Timothy 2:13)
• God cannot be tempted (James 1:13)
• He who keeps you will not slumber (Psalm 121:3)

On the other hand, the Word also teaches us that nothing is impossible for God (Jeremiah 32:17, Luke 1:37).

Jesus said in Matthew 19:26: “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

So we can ask ourselves, is the Bible contradicting itself?

No. God’s omnipotence means that God has all power over His creation and has all power to fulfill His will and remain faithful to His character.

This is how R.C. Sproul expressed it in his book “Essential Truths of the Christian Faith“: God cannot do that which contradicts His character or goes against His will.

What is God’s Sovereignty?

Wayne Grudem in his book “Bible Doctrine” defines God’s sovereignty as “God’s exercise of power over His creation.”

God is not a creator who has forgotten His creation, nor one who is part of it. He is the God who governs over His creation, fulfilling His will.

The truth that God has all power to fulfill His will and that He remains faithful to His character while doing so should fill us with joy and comfort.

In this study of the book of Esther and in all our life, we can see that God’s sovereignty is not a distant concept, but a constant action.

What is God’s Providence?

The term “God’s providence” doesn’t appear directly in the Bible, but we use it to define the relationship between God and His creation. It describes that constant and active intervention of God in creation.

What we see happening is God’s providence. In his book on Ruth, John Piper describes that providence as sweet and bitter.

The good and bad that may happen to us continues being the result of God’s sovereignty and omnipotence. Nothing escapes His will (Proverbs 16:33).

Throughout the entire Bible we’re called to live, walk, conform to, and be transformed by God’s will that Paul in his letter to the Romans says “is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

God’s Sovereignty Produces Peace

Sometimes God’s will will be easier to receive than at other times. We see this in our life and we’ll see it in Esther’s story.

However, we must rest in God’s perfect character and that, if we’re part of His people, we can join Paul’s expressions: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

I’ll end with this: we, upon receiving the results of God’s sovereignty, have knowledge of what has happened until a second ago, but we don’t know what’s coming.

God already knows everything, and uses all events for His glory and for our good, whether we see it from this side of eternity or the other. Resting in God’s sovereignty produces peace even on the most difficult days.

In the next lesson we’ll study Esther 1:1-2:20. I invite you to read it and take notes. Remember that you can write to us at any time.